Ask the Experts Wire Q&A

What are the sizes used for wire? Can you explain the different types of wire used for jewelry and what do 18, 22, etc. mean?

Wire is measured by gauge, which means the diameter of the wire, or how “thick” or “heavy” it is. In gauge, the smallest numbers are the largest gauge, and the largest numbers are the smallest gauge. So, it’s opposite to what sounds logical. For example, 30-gauge wire is so thin it looks like thread and 20-gauge wire is more the thickness of thin yarn or crochet thread. 

Check out this Wire Gauge to Inches Conversion Chart so you can compare gauges to inches—this might help you more easily understand gauge. 

The article, All About Jewelry Making Wire, is another helpful resource to learn about the kinds of wire most commonly used in jewelry. 

- Patti